It’s Independents Week at 10K Advisors! We’re celebrating the 10K Expert Community and our mission to give people the freedom to do the work they love. Stay tuned to our blog for Q&As with some of our brightest independent experts as we explore what it takes to build a business, how to overcome doubt, and advice for other Salesforce experts with an entrepreneurial spirit. You can follow the conversation every day this week at #10KIndependentsWeek.
Ryan Mitchell | M3 Cloud Consulting | @Ryanalewishes
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your business?
A: My company is M3 Cloud Consulting, and I’m an independent contractor in the Salesforce ecosystem. I founded M3 because we are a family of Salesforce professionals that enjoy helping companies get the most out of their Salesforce investment.
The name M3 is inspired by my family (M3, three Mitchells) who also work in the Salesforce ecosystem, and we have a shared vision of all working together one day. My younger brother, the one who introduced me to Salesforce, and his wife are currently working in the Salesforce ecosystem and have been for the last ten years.
Q: How long were you working in the ecosystem before you determined the mission and goal of your business?
A: I’ve been working with Salesforce for nearly ten years now, and as I learned more about what this platform provides and the different paths people can take, I immediately knew that consulting was the best fit for my personality. I came into the ecosystem with over ten years of experience in Education, and that, together with Salesforce, has helped me realize my passion for assisting people to achieve their program goals.
I’m also a middle child and growing up, I was often looked upon to being a mediator and coming up with a solution for everyone to get along. So as I learned more about consulting, it felt like it was an excellent fit for my personality as we are often faced with business challenges and seek to find ways to solve them using Salesforce.
Q: What was your first “ah-ha!” moment before taking the first step to start your business?
A: Seeing the need out there for people that care deeply about connecting with other people. I realize this is technology, but I look at this as a people-first industry. We thrive on connection, and that is important to our success. I enjoy connecting with other members in our community, especially in this day and age, where working from home can somewhat be isolating if you let it. We have a vast network of people out there able and willing to assist should you tap into your network.
Q: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
A: I feel like everything happens for a reason, and you have to trust the process and take it a step at a time. I’ve met so many amazing, supportive people that have come into my life to assist on the journey that saw things in me that I didn’t always see in myself. I was ready a lot sooner, I just didn’t know it, so if I could do anything differently, I would have believed that I can do this a lot sooner.
Q: Can you offer any words of wisdom for Salesforce experts looking to start their own business?
A: You got this, believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
When we fail, we learn. We are equipped to handle anything that comes our way as long as we learn from our mistakes.
Also, our ecosystem is very supportive and is here to help guide you along the way. I’d also say figure out what gets you up in the morning and what you’re most passionate about because your customers will feel that authenticity.
